The Betway Premiership title race always gets the fans talking and on the edge of their seats. Throughout the season, clubs compete to be at the top end of the log table and be crowned champions. Every match and every point have a significant impact on the title race.
Each team plays 30 games to collect as many points as possible. A victory awards three points, a draw earns one point, and a loss results in no points. The points that a team earns throughout the season determines their position on the log table.
Towards the end of each season, that’s when things really heat up. The teams at the top end of the table are often called title contenders and they battle it out until the last match of the season. This period is often regarded as the most exciting and most nerve wrecking part of the season.
Consistency is what really matters in a title race. Lose and that could spell an end to title hopes and a win takes a team closer to becoming the champions.
What Is the Betway Premiership?
The Betway Premiership is South Africa’s top-flight professional football league, featuring 16 clubs competing across a season to determine the national champion.
As the top division of South African football, the Betway Premiership is where some of the country’s top players and coaches showcase their talent.
The 16 teams compete against each other over the course of the season. Each team plays the other 15 teams both home and away, resulting in each team playing 30 matches across the season.
The Betway Premiership plays a significant role in South African football by developing local talent and providing a platform for the clubs to compete at the highest domestic level. The Betway Premiership remains one of the country’s most followed sporting competitions.
How the Betway Premiership Points System Works
- Three points for a win.
- One point for a draw.
- Zero points for a loss.
Consistency is key in the Betway Premiership. For a team to stand a chance of competing for the title, they must accumulate points from the early stages of the season.
How many points are awarded for a win in the Betway Premiership?
Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw and no points for a defeat.
How Many Matches Does Each Team Play?
The Betway Premiership like all football leagues follows the home-and-away format, ensuring that every club faces each opponent both home and away. This creates balanced competition and challenge for all the teams to perform in different environments and conditions throughout the season.
With each team facing the other 15 teams both home and away, it means each club plays a total of 30 matches. With a full Betway Premiership season being played over a period of ten months, from August to May, the league is often dubbed a marathon rather than a sprint race.
This is why consistency is a key factor in a successful title challenge. Teams that collect points consistently home and away stand a better chance to compete for the major prize in the final rounds of the season.
How the League Table Determines the Champions
The Betway Premiership title is awarded to the team that finishes at the top of the log table with the most points at the end of the season. The team with the least points gets relegated to the first division.
Teams are ranked according to the number of points they have accumulated throughout the season.
The league table is updated after every round of fixtures, allowing teams to track their progress as the season unfolds.
Teams that are fighting for the title are always aiming to maintain a lead over their closest rivals. A small gap in the standings can have a significant impact when the season reaches the final stages.
What Happens If Teams Finish Level on Points?
If two teams finish the Betway Premiership with the same number of points, tie-break rules come into effect to determine the winner.
Goal difference is one of the main factors used to separate the teams, comparing the number of goals scored against goals conceded.
If teams are still level, goals scored would be applied and the team with highest number of goals will be awarded the title.
For this reason, it is important for title contenders to maintain a healthy goal difference as it may influence final standings.
What Makes a Strong Title Challenge
A strong title challenge is built on consistency throughout the season. A team that can pick up points even when they are not playing well is likely to be in the title race towards the end of the season.
Winning against fellow title contenders can also provide valuable advantage in the log standings.
Due to how long the season is and with domestic trophies factored in, it is important to have squad depth as a team’s ability to deal with injuries, suspensions and fixture congestion will be tested. Clubs with strong squads are often better equipped to maintain their form over the course of a season.
Historically, many title-winning teams have combined consistency with strong performances in key matches. These teams can also overturn points deficits late in the season.
Why the Betway Premiership Title Race Is So Competitive
The Betway Premiership title race is so competitive because the title contenders put pressure on each other, making every game exciting and important. No game is easy and no points are guaranteed. Every fixture is significant.
In the 2025/2026 season, the Betway Premiership title race went to the last day of the season with Orlando Pirates being crowned the eventual champions, finishing a point above Mamelodi Sundowns on 69 points.
The two teams were consistent throughout the season and a loss in Sundowns’ final match of the season proved to be very costly as it meant Pirates needed to win their final match to claim the title for the first time in 14 years.
The fans were fully invested in this title race, including fans from other PSL clubs. The fans brought their passion, which created electric atmospheres and excitement in every stage of the championship battle.
And this is why we say ‘Lisegazini Forever.’
Memorable Betway Premiership Title Races
Over the last 30 years, we have witnessed some of the famous close finishes. From 2008/2009 season when SuperSport United won the title on goal difference, having finished level on points with Orlando Pirates.
How can we forget the 2010/2011 season where goal difference was involved again, this time in favour of Pirates who won the title, beating Ajax Cape Town to the trophy. Kaizer Chiefs had one hand on the trophy in the 2019/2020 season when all they needed was a win on the last day to claim the title and they drew against Baroka FC, opening a window of opportunity for Sundowns to win their third successive title title.
The dominant championship-winning teams have shown that they turn up in season-defining matches. These are matches where champions are made.
The Betway Premiership has consistently delivered excitement and entertainment over the years, and it continues to captivate football fans season after season.
The Betway Premiership title race is decided over the course of a long and competitive season. Consistency is the foundation of a successful campaign, as clubs must continue to collect positive results to stay ahead of their rivals. Ultimately, the team that collects the most points is crowned champion. The excitement, unpredictability, and passion surrounding the title race help make it one of the most compelling aspects of South African football.
